Comedian, author and native Philadelphian Bill Cosby posed a serious question yesterday to the audience at a Save Our Children forum in the auditorium of Community College of Philadelphia.

He first asked audience members who had lost loved ones to violence to stand up. More than 75 percent of those in the room stood.

"This is insane," he said. He then asked his question, "Where are we going as parents, as people?"

Speaking in simple, blunt terms, Cosby urged parents not to address their children in negative ways.

"Your child's name is not n-----, your 2-year-old child's name is not mother------," Cosby said, to rousing cheers and just a few gasps from parents in attendance.

Cosby's main issues in his keynote address as one of a number of speakers at the Community College-sponsored "Save Our Children - Exhoodus Tour" were parenting, education and drug-selling, all of which he touched on with just a hint of comedy.

Typical of Cosby's style of stinging and controversial commentary, he also faulted the love shown to the late rapper Tupac Shakur. He said it was crazy for Shakur, who was fatally shot in Las Vegas in 1996, and his mother to enjoy the proceeds from Shakur's drug sales.

"In the book, 'To Momma With Love,' or something like that, he is so happy that he's able to take money from selling cocaine and give the money to his mother," Cosby said.

"How wonderful. Isn't that wonderful. You've got to be kidding. How many lives have you ruined selling packets? How many mothers are not going to go to work because they want to snort? How many dead mothers because of crack, how many babies we got to make turn around because they are crack babies?"

Cosby said the house Shakur bought his mother should be adorned with the pictures of users who died due to drug use.

"Hang up the pictures of the people's lives you ruined," Cosby declared.

Cosby also briefly addressed the criticisms he has endured recently, saying that he doesn't pick on the poor but rather, he tells it like it is.

"[People say] 'Bill Cosby is picking on the poor.' I couldn't care less," Cosby said, with a little edge in his voice. "I'm telling you why your child is sad inside. I would keep my mouth shut if [parents] were doing things."

Cosby also said that he had the right to say what he says because he came from where the people he was addressing came from.

"Up to the age 26, [I lived at] 6159 N. 41st Street," Cosby said. "So don't play games with me. I've seen all of you, whether you are rich, poor or middle-income. And I know when you talk too much, and I know why you talk too much. And that's why I can say what I want to say."

Cosby was joined by Malik Aziz and Bilal Qayyum of Black Men United for a Better Philadelphia; the Rev. Derrick Johnson, of Joshua Harvest Church in Wilmington, Del; Umar Salahuddin, Atlantic City's director of health and human services; Michelle A. Simmons of Why Not Prosper, Inc.; Antoinette Jackson-Aziz, executive vice president of the Ex-Offenders a.ssociation of Pennsylvania; and brothers Lance and Todd Feurtado, motivational speakers from Queens, N.Y.

You gotta have mad respect for Cosby. He did alot for Black. (at least in the television department.) Also pac did promote Vilolence.

I do think that Black need to take political and economic, and Racial issues more serious than today. Its sad because if you dont talk a in a proper way in todays black community they cast you as white. ( like saying only whites can reach that form of excellence.) Cosby just want to see the Black community do betterafter all people died for our equal rights in this country.

i respect bill cosby and what he's doing. he's actually talking real truthfull. even if i disagree with him badmouthing tupac, i agree with the overall message and the principle behind his comments on the house Pac bought his mother. its true what he says. i mean damn, its not okay for people to be dumbed-down and ignorant. complacent with living in the projects and blaming others for their misfortune. bill cosby is living proof that u can make it out the hood without selling out. i dont know what selling out means to yall. but he didnt kiss any a.ss and he didnt do anything embarrassing to come up.

fu*k Cosby's bi*ch a.ss...I want to see him attack a famous white man just once. Pac said his damn self he tried to sell drugs and wound up giving the sh*t back cause he wasnt good at it. That n*gga ain't buy his moms no house from drugs he got it from entertainment just like that Jello puddin pushing Cosby. This fool a.ss zzzzzz (yes zzzzzz meaning ignorant) is steady helping rip down black figures like that sh*t don't happen enough. fu*k COSBY might make a song with that sh*t.

This dude is funny! it never seems to amaze me on what bill cosby has to say! lol first of all i bet you can compare what bill cosby has done for blacks and what 2pac did in his life time and i would say that 2pacs impact on black men period is more then what bill has done for black men in his 70 years of of being on this earth! this dude is too funny yeah your not at 6159 N. 41st Street any more motha fu*ka. you think the problem lies on how these kids are being raised???? bi*ch this is a cycle and this sh*t started during your era you thought making a fu*kin TV show was all blacks needed to go the right direction??? yeah whatever n*gga come back to the hoods and bring some jobs to n*ggas, do something with our schools get into government and give us a chance to change how we raise our kids level the playing field n*gga and then talk until then shut the fu*k up and stop disrespecting my niehgborhood he's dividing his people even more and i cant waite until he falls on his face

i respect bill cosby and what he's doing. he's actually talking real truthfull. even if i disagree with him badmouthing tupac, i agree with the overall message and the principle behind his comments on the house Pac bought his mother. its true what he says. i mean damn, its not okay for people to be dumbed-down and ignorant. complacent with living in the projects and blaming others for their misfortune. bill cosby is living proof that u can make it out the hood without selling out. i dont know what selling out means to yall. but he didnt kiss any a.ss and he didnt do anything embarrassing to come up.

REAL TALK. Bill got enough nuts to say what he feel, he really from the hood. How can u knock him, Pac was wrong for displaying that image. Bill fu*ked up because he didnt show Pac good though how he started an art school and some of the positive messages he puit in songs. Other than that Bill on point, the only people who feel played is the people who he talkin about, shyt hit to close to home for them.

i love how people will verbally attack coke dealers because they sell coke because they are poor, but completely ignore the fact that in order for a coke dealer to be successful you need people who make the stupid fu*kin decision to do coke...

i love how people will verbally attack coke dealers because they sell coke because they are poor, but completely ignore the fact that in order for a coke dealer to be successful you need people who make the stupid fu*kin decision to do coke...

FCUK BILL COSBY - he's the worst fu*king hyporcrite. DIDN'T HE DRUG SOME CHICK AND r*pe HER. while he was stil MARRIED
seriously, who the fu*k is he to criticize anyone?! fuk this lameass n*gga! :finger:

how can this guy say pac bought his mom a house with the proceeds of crack sales. If you watch any of his documentary's he always said that he tried sellin dope n stopped after like a week cuz he couldnt' do it right, and it was the pimps and drug-dealers who encouraged him to pursue his music and acting career, Also its easy to tell drug dealers to stop sellin but if your gonna say that also be ready to put some money in their laps so they can live. I understand that its wrong and your k!lling people by doing it but, if cosby wants to be real for some thats the only choice they have to survive, I just think its not fair to criticize what you dont' know.Real Talk

FCUK BILL COSBY - he's the worst fu*king hyporcrite. DIDN'T HE DRUG SOME CHICK AND r*pe HER. while he was stil MARRIED
seriously, who the fu*k is he to criticize anyone?! fuk this lameass n*gga! :finger:

thank you thank you thank you this is exactly what i was going 2 say, people just tend to forget or not look at what this mother fu*ker did and accept his crap as gospel

As I read the previously said comments, I understand the viewpoints of most. Cosby does have a tendency to make me wanna slap p!ss out of him but at the same time, the man is speaking from a vantage point of someone from the 50's, 60's, and 70's where we as Black people in America were not afforded the luxuries of "equality" that we have today. This man lived through 2 of the greatest leaders(Malcolm & Martin) dying so that we can have a taste of freedom and look at what we're doing with it today. NOTHING. As a people, as a community, nothing...Personally, I feel as though it is a big slap in the face to those who have given their lives for our people only for our generation to p!ss it down the drain. I'd be pissed too.